1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to key holder assemblies with separable parts and, more particularly, is concerned with a separable key holder assembly composed of separable straps of complementary hook and loop fastening materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior patent art, a wide variety of key holder assemblies have been proposed in which two key-holding parts are normally secured together to provide a unitary holder, but are separable to detach one key-holding part from the other for separate uses. For example, the one part might hold car keys and the other part hold house keys. The two parts of the holder assembly may be separated to permit the one part with the car keys to remain with an attendant of a parking lot, while the driver retains the other part with the house keys.
Representative examples of these prior art key holder assemblies are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,477 (Klein), U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,071 (Kussoy), U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,418 (Cuttler), U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,910 (Brooks, et al), U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,951 (Ros) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,636 (Oletzke). Of these examples, the Klein key holder assembly appears to have a distinct advantage in terms of simplicity of construction over the others.
The Klein key holder assembly is composed of a pair of holder members. Each holder member includes an elongated strip of material having a tab extending from one end and folded upon itself to form a loop receiving a key ring. The tab is secured in the looped configuration by a rivet which also has a first fastening element of a snap fastener in the form of an outwardly projecting button. A second fastening element of a snap fastener in the form of a socket which is matable with the button of the first fastening element is secured to the opposite end of the holder member. The one holder member thus mounts the separate button and socket parts of two snap fasteners which complement and mate with the socket and button parts of the two snap fasteners mounted by the other holder member. The two holder members can be detachably attached together by mating the respective button and socket parts of the two snap fasteners together which positions the key rings at the opposite ends of the key holder assembly.
Notwithstanding the advantage of the construction of the Klein key holder assembly over the other ones, it still embodies certain shortcomings which make it somewhat less than an optimum construction. One shortcoming of the Klein holder assembly construction is that the two holder members are attached to one another solely at the locations of the two snap fasteners. Holes must be made in the material of the members at these two locations in order to apply the rivets which attach the snap fastener parts to the holder members. Each time the two holder members are pulled apart to unsnap the snap fastener parts from one another, the pulling forces exerted by the user are concentrated at these two locations. Over time there will be a tendency for tears in the material to generate from the holes until the respective snap fasten parts loosen and separate from the holder members.
Another shortcoming of the Klein holder assembly is that the use of the two snap fasteners requires precise alignment of the complementary snap fastener parts of the holder members with one another in order to snap them together. This can be a tedious and time-consuming task which wears on the patience of the user and diverts user's attention from other more important activities.
It is perceived by the inventor herein that further improvements are needed in the design of a separable key holder assembly in order to provide a more durable and user-friendly product.